


Day Two Hundred Eighty || Packing up his Gear

by 365daysofsasuhina



Series: 365 Days of SasuHina 2019 [280]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-09
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-28 07:29:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20962784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/365daysofsasuhina/pseuds/365daysofsasuhina
Summary: With a new, pressing assignment, Sasuke prepares to help get Hanabi back...and keep Hinata safe.





	Day Two Hundred Eighty || Packing up his Gear

“...it’s been a while since you’ve been called on a mission.”

Back turned to his bedroom door, Sasuke pauses. Before him atop his bed lies a bag for supplies. He’s been packing up his gear all morning. “...this is a bit of a special case,” is the quiet reply.

“So I’ve heard. This is the second time a Hyūga heiress has been kidnapped in our lifetimes. And yet it’s been two different girls.”

Buckling the pack shut, Sasuke hitches it to his hip opposite his sword. “...are you going to say something useful before I leave, or just ramble on?”

Itachi perks a brow. “...I just want to be sure you realize the scale of this.”

“Of course I do. I’m not an idiot, Itachi.”

“...there’s more to this than a simple kidnapping. Whoever attacked Hinata last night is part of it, I’m sure. Hinata, I feel was the true target.”

“She’s no longer heiress.”

“On paper, no...but in birth? Yes. In bloodline...yes. That Toneri figure made as much clear, did he not?” Itachi’s expression hardens a hair. “...after the ending of the fourth war, the revelation of Kaguya and her ilk has left the leaders of the world uneasy. And now the moon is breaking, and falling to earth? Her previous prison? Something is going on, Sasuke. And we cannot forget that the Hyūga are her direct descendants.”

“As are we.”

“...which is what has me worried. But the Hyūga bear the Byakugan as she did. Something in my gut tells me this is somehow related. Be careful, Sasuke.”

“I already took Kaguya down once. I’m not afraid of much else.”

“...do you know who’s going with you?”

“Nara Shikamaru, Sai, and...Haruno Sakura.”

“...I see. Well, I won't keep you. Know that we will keep an eye on things while you are gone.”

With that, Sasuke gives a curt nod, leaving the Uchiha compound behind and heading toward the Hokage’s office. Hyūga kidnappings, the moon splintering...something is definitely amiss.

Subconsciously, he grips his regrown left arm, brow furrowing. Itachi is right...this reeks of the Ōtsutsuki. While he knows beyond a doubt that Kaguya is sealed away in another dimension entirely...he has to wonder if there are others. After all, she had to come from somewhere…

Not bothering to knock, he enters and finds only one member of his team yet present...along with an unexpected guest.

“...Hyūga?”

Both Hinata and Sakura turn to behold him, gazes unreadable. “...Sasuke-kun,” she greets softly.

“What are you doing here?”

“Hinata’s been granted permission to come along,” Kakashi replies from behind the two ladies, leaning forward on his elbows with folded hands.

“...you’ve got to be kidding.”

“Think she’s not capable?”

“I _know_ she’s a target,” Sasuke rebukes, a hint of a scowl in his features. “You’re sending her _right_ into a trap if you let her come along. Why do you think Hanabi was taken? She’s bait. And you’re falling for it, hook line and sinker.”

“I won’t leave the rescue of my sister to anyone else,” Hinata rebukes, a touch of coldness in her tone that surprises him. “...I wasn’t home last night, I...I let this happen.”

“You’re one of an entire clan of Hyūga. Anyone else in that compound should have intervened. Especially given that Hanabi is heiress.”

Sakura folds her arms with a frown. “...are you saying the Hyūga let this happen?”

“I’m saying this entire situation is a mess, and as usual, Konoha isn’t thinking when it comes to solving it. Hinata is a damn capable kunoichi - just as much as you are, Sakura. But she’s also a huge risk to be bringing right up close and personal to the enemy that was trying to take her. I don’t want her to -”

Both kunoichi furrow their brows as he seems to stop himself. “...it’s still Hinata’s choice if this is a risk she wants to take or not. If you’re so worried about her, mister god-tier shinobi, do your job and protect her,” Sakura retorts, leaning forward a hair in challenge. “Why do you think you’re being brought along?”

“...tch.”

“...well, now that you’re done deciding your own mission details,” Kakashi then deadpans. “We’ll wait for the others, and then I’ll explain in greater depth.”

Huffing a curt breath, Sasuke just waits leaned against a wall, clearly agitated. Only once Shikamaru and Sai arrive does he adjust his posture...slightly.

It’s then Kakashi explains the moon’s status in more detail, giving Shikamaru the clock to count their hours left before the Earth is destroyed.

“You think this Toneri and the moon are connected?” the Nara asks, looking skeptical.

“Itachi thought the same,” Sasuke interjects. “Think about it. The moon was once the prison of the Shinju and Kaguya. The Hyūga are her direct descendents, wielders of the Byakugan...and he wants their born heiress. It can’t be a coincidence...or at least a possibility we can’t ignore.”

“Precisely,” Kakashi agrees. “Now...best you get going. Sai will take you to the location where he tailed the kidnappers to. Spread out from there, and look for clues. Remember...your time is limited.”

With that, the team heads out, hopping astride some of Sai’s ink avians and taking to the skies. Once they find the scene of the short battle, they divide and start searching.

Sasuke, assigned watch over Hinata, sits behind her on their bird as she flares her kekkei genkai. “...see anything?”

“Not yet.”

Still sensing a trace of hostility in her tone, he sighs. “...I wasn’t questioning your ability or your duty back there, you know.”

...no response.

“I meant what I said. You’re giving this Toneri bastard what he wants.”

“...then you’ll just have to do as Sakura-chan said, and keep an eye on me.”

“I shouldn’t have to, that’s my point! Believe me, I get wanting to protect a sibling. Look at what I’ve done for Itachi’s sake! But Hinata, this is -”

“There!”

Cut off, he heaves a heavy breath, guiding the bird down to land. Digging through the snow, Hinata reveals a kunai, decorated with a small figurine.

“...that hers?”

“Mhm.” Taking out her pack, Hinata moves to stash the blade inside.

“...still packing that scarf around?”

She stiffens.

“...we should find the others and let them know we’re on the right track.”

“...right.”

Following the projected path, their mount takes the lead as Hinata watches their surroundings for clues.

“Anything yet?” Shikamaru calls.

“There’s a spring in a cave below us...it seems to be...glowing?”

“A glowing spring…?”

Working their way down, the group stops at the water’s edge. Squinting, Hinata reports, “...I can’t see through it. There’s some kind of...interference.”

“Probably a way to keep intruders out,” Sasuke agrees. “...guess we have no choice but to go through.”

“Always rushing into things…” Sakura sighs.

“You have a better idea? That mark above us says this is a beginning...it has to be an entrance. Where else could they have gone?”

“For someone who was so insistent we be careful, you’re jumping to a lot of conclusions.”

“Enough! Sasuke-kun is right,” Hinata interjects.

“This isn’t normal water…” Sai then notes, lifting a hand. “It doesn’t actually feel wet.”

“Some kind of illusion, maybe...be careful,” Sasuke murmurs.

With a splash, they all leap in, swimming through the aqua waters until...emerging on another side. Plunging through open air, things suddenly...shift.

_Shit...genjutsu…!_ Sharingan flaring, Sasuke cuts through the illusion. Around him, the others have slowed to a crawl...but Sakura soon stirs.

“...huh…?”

“It _is_ genjutsu,” he reports. “Help me wake the others.”

As Sakura tends to Shikamaru and Sai, Sasuke grasps Hinata’s shoulders. “Oi, Hyūga...wake up. You…”

Around them, the strange spheres of chakra begin to...reflect. As his hand makes contact, they alight with visions of...the past? Watching, Sasuke sees various snippets of Hinata’s...memories.

They pass quickly, fragmented and blending. Years-old images of her father and sister, her cousin, her team...and then they become more recent. An apologetic Naruto, a consoling Sakura, and then...himself…? He looks so...vulnerable. They’d been talking about...

...he remembers that.

“Sasuke-kun…Sasuke-kun! Wake her up, already!”

Jolted, he retries his efforts. “...Hinata.”

Eyelids pinching, she slowly opens pearlescent eyes. “...Sasuke-kun…?”

“You were trapped in a genjutsu. It was sapping your chakra.” Taking her hand, he helps her sit up...and through his own, transfers a share of his energy.

“...what are you -?”

“You need to be at full strength in case the enemy finds you,” he retorts, but not unkindly. “I’ll recharge quicker.”

“You...you called me…?”

Giving her a glance, Sasuke then looks over his shoulder as Sakura calls them. “...come on. We need to move.” With a tug, he gets her upright, and then urges her to follow the rest of the group.

Still hazy with confusion and lingering memories...she does as prompted.

_...what was that….?_

**Author's Note:**

> Tired, headache, gonna be brief @~@ Crossover with The Last. Only a small part cuz...time limits, and I really dunno how the rest would go lol - and I'm sure this concept has been done already.
> 
> Sorry but I'm really out of it, so...that's all for now. Thanks for reading~


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